Would you want to know? (NBA playoffs)

[spacejammer]

With the NBA playoffs due to start this weekend and the play in tournament currently underway.
I was looking at the fixtures this afternoon and was wondering if this new style for the playoffs really favoured the top seeds in the conference or not?

Like take it if your the Cavs and Magic right now.
You might not be top seed but because you know you are facing each other you have now had the time to prepare and practice ahead of your match up as you know who you are facing in round one.

Whereas if your the Celtics or Knicks your opponent in the run up to the playoffs isn't confirmed until after the play in tournament is finished.
And right now you aren't sure which team you will be preparing for.

As top seeds anyway you expect they should still defeat the winners of the play in comfortable but I did wonder whether this would be an inconvenience for them or not?

[milehigh]

It shouoldn't be, NBA teams have a large coaching and analysis staff, who are used to preparing for multiple games in a week, even including back to backs. The top seased teams will benefit from about a weeks rest, and a lot of the preperation and game planning will be based on existing information from the regular season.

After an 82 game regular season, the additional days rest, and starting the series at home will be the major factor.

[D44]

I'm not sure I'd care that much. The teams play each so often during the overly long and largely pointless regular season anyway. It's not like you can get caught by suprise in a 7 game series anyway, first game perhaps but the other 6.

[SamH]

Also it's only time limited for game 1, then you're into the series anyway. And it's the same for the team that qualifies for the spot. They won't have been preparing for the seed, but their play in opponents. So each team has the same amount of time really.

Of course last season the Heat lost a play in game, won the next one then beat the top seeded Bucks and made the finals!

[hayesboy]

I think Spacejammer makes an interesting point. Rest is alwasy considered good in the NBA but if you look at the Celtics they have been cruising for well over a month now as everyone floundered beneath them in the standings.
So whilst they are resting their first round opponent is coming in having battled for play in spots and through 2 tough play in games. It certainly changes the dynamic from the old 1v8 scenario. The Celtics will beat the Bulls/Hawks and most likley the Heat..not so sure about the 76ers (no spoilers :-))

I also think that the teams in the play in and why they are there makes life more interesting too. Overall I think the play in has been a great addition to the NBA format.

[D44]

Similar thing arguably happened to Bucks in previous season. Cruised the Eastern Conference then early playoff exits against lower seed.

[SamH]

It was a great game between the Heat and the Sixers, worth watching if you haven't yet and don't know who wins!